Child Pornography and the Internet free essay sample

Technology has theorized rapidly, making it easy to access and distribute images of children. When individuals have access to home computer technology it decreases the cost of production Internationally. Computer technology Is transforming the production of these Images Into a sophisticated global cottage Industry (What is Child Pornography, 2008). Child pornography Is Illegal under federal laws and laws In all 50 states; however, researchers and law enforcement officials believe this crime Is increasing and the increase is related to growing Internet use (What is Child Pornography, 2008).The united States Department of Justice created a regional task force to provide assistance to state and local law enforcement officials in combating crimes against children. They have also provided a number of resources to decrease the amount of child pornography, such as funding for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Childrens Cyber Tapeline, www. Cybernetic. Com. This website allows the public to contact law enforcement with any information on child pornography and exploitation (Cybernetic, 2008). We will write a custom essay sample on Child Pornography and the Internet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Online predators are constantly looking for victims.They frequent kids only chat rooms and begin communicating with children who freely give personal Information about themselves to strangers. A survey conducted by the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire found that one in five youth who regularly use the Internet received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet in 1 999 (What is Child Pornography, 2008). Predators communicate as often as possible with the child through chat rooms, and as they to communicate with them they sometimes introduce the child to sexual content during the conversations.Child predators also send pornographic images to the children while online; when the children see other children participating in such activity they begin to think that this type of behavior is acceptable. When children think this behavior is acceptable, they are easily convinced and taken advantage of by the predator. Child pornographers are very secretive In their activities. While searching the Internet there may be a possibility that adults as well as children may come across some prohibited Images. According to research, at least 20 % of pornographic actively that Is found on the Internet involves children.Parents and or guardians should realize that it is imperative that activities of children are not monitored by their parents they are subject to become a victim of child pornography. Child pornographers are prowling on the Internet to take advantage of a child. Research on the motives of those individuals who take interest in child pornography is limited. Within the information that exists, its suggested that pornographers come from a diverse group of individuals and they choose to participate in pornography for a number of reasons.Those who possess child pornography include people who are: Sexually interested in prepubescent children(pedophilia) or young adults adolescents (hipless), Sexually indiscriminate, meaning they are constantly looking for new and different sexual stimuli. ; Sexually curious, downloading a few images to satisfy that ; Interested in profiting financially by selling images or setting up curiosity. Websites requiring payment for access (What is Child Pornography, 2008). Federal laws have been designed to discourage child pornography. The Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1997 (CPA) expands the federal prohibition on child pornography o include not only pornographic images made using action children, but also any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, picture or computer or computer-generated image or picture that is or appears to be of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct (Finland for Legal Professionals, n. D). The act also states that any sexually explicit image that is advertised, promoted, presented, described, or distributed in such a manner that conveys the impression it depicts a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.The Child Pornography Prevention Act orbits virtual child pornography, which is using other forms of technology to portray minors in sexual activity (Finland for Legal Professionals, n. D). The Federal government uses various coordination mechanisms to combat child pornography. The efforts that are put forth by the federal government to decrease child pornog raphy have significantly increased the number of cases that have been prosecuted within the last five years (Combating Child Pornography, 2002). The most active law enforcement agency combating child pornography is the U. S. Customs Child Pornography Enforcement Program.According to this program, there are differences in U. S. And European laws in what child pornography consists of (Montanan, 2008). Child pornography material that can legally be published in most European countries cannot be published in the United States due to the current child pornography laws. In 1997, the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched an Office of Crimes against Children to focus only on crimes such as child exploitation, child pornography, child abduction, and parental kidnapping (Fine, 2001). The FBI has at least two special agents in each field office that have specific Job duties to investigate rimes involving children.In order to address specifically Internet child pornography issues, the FBI along with assistance of Coos, the Innocent Images National Initiative (MINI) was established in 1995 (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2007). As a part of this initiative that was created, FBI agents and task force officers go online to Internet chat rooms as pose as children, who are potential victims, or as adults looking for child pornography. The agents and task force officers perform these tasks strictly undercover. This method enables them to catch child pornography before the crime s committed (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2007). Today, computer pedophili a to share illegal photographic images of minors to lure children into illicit sexual relationships (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2007). The Internet has given sex offenders a tremendous amount of access to find their victims. Technological advancements allows for almost anything to be done via computers. As technology continues to advance, law enforcement is forced to deal with more computer crimes. Over the years, computers have become a thing of the present and future, therefore, people use them for business as well as for pleasure.Child pornography has become a popular crime that is being committed via computers. Sexual predators use the Internet to connect with these individuals, because they assume that when they are in chat rooms they are in them without parental supervision. Parents and guardians should pay close attention to what their children are doing on the computers. If the Internet use is not related to their schoolwork, their use should be monitored carefully. Most predators have no particular motive for committing the rime of child pornography; they commit the crime for various reasons.